


The Aftermath of the Duel

by love_from_belle



Series: The Story of Grindelwald [1]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe?, Gen, Grindelwald Becomes Dumbledore, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Manipulative Grindelwald | Dumbledore, No One Knows That Grindelwald Is Dumbledore, The Duel Happens Circa 1935, Then Everything Spirals Out Of Grindelwald's Control, Until Harry's Third Year, maybe? - Freeform, nothing much changes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-04
Packaged: 2019-07-25 02:09:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16187897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love_from_belle/pseuds/love_from_belle
Summary: Grindelwald bent over the Stunned body of his former flame."I am sorry it had to turn out this way, Albus," he said. "But you must have known that refusing to use deadly force in this duel would lose you the victory."---------------------We all know that Grindelwald can sustain a glamour spell long-term. He did so when he became Percival Graves. But what if Grindelwald won the duel between him and Dumbledore and switched their places?This is what happens when Grindelwald attempts to rule the Wizarding World and Dumbledore gets himself locked in Nurmengard.





	The Aftermath of the Duel

**Author's Note:**

> Literally every character and the starting plot of this belongs to J.K. Rowling. Up until Harry's third year, anyway. From then on she still owns the characters and their personalities but the plot is mine.

Grindelwald bent over the Stunned body of his former flame. 

"I am sorry it had to turn out this way, Albus," he said. "But you must have known that refusing to use deadly force in this duel would lose you the victory."

Albus Dumbledore had refused to use any spells classed as Dark after his sister had died from such a spell in the middle of a three-way duel between Gellert, Aberforth and himself, out of fear that he would not be able to control their effects and more would die.

"It appears, however, that my plans need to change somewhat drastically, for the Greater Good," Grindelwald added, waving his wand and Glamouring himself to appear identical to Albus. "And for that," Grindelwald said, "I will need to be you, and you will need to be me."

oO-Oo

The headlines the following day boasted titles such as "GRINDELWALD DEFEATED!" and "DUMBLEDORE VICTORIOUS", and "Dumbledore" was promptly awarded such honours as Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and, of course, the Order of Merlin, First Class. He was even offered the position of Minister for Magic, but instead, he returned to Hogwarts and to his position as Transfiguration Professor, stating that "to seek power was not a wise idea, particularly for him".

Two years passed, and 1937 saw Dumbledore walking down a street in the East End of London, heading for one Wool's Orphanage, ready to introduce some poor Muggle-raised orphan to his heritage as a Wizard.

He knocked once on the door, and was greeted by a scruffy young girl.

"Good afternoon," Dumbledore said to her. "I have an appointment with one Mrs. Cole, who I believe is the matron here?"

After a minute taking in Dumbledore's eccentric appearance (he was, after all, wearing an oddly cut suit of purple velvet) the girl yelled for Mrs. Cole, and after receiving a reply, directed Dumbledore down a spotlessly clean hallway tiled in black and white. Before the door of the orphanage was even closed, a stressed out woman who appeared more anxious than unkind came into view, stopping right in her tracks when she saw the odd view of Dumbledore's clothing in front of her.

"Good afternoon," Dumbledore said once again, holding out his hand. "My name is Albus Dumbledore. I sent you a letter requesting an appointment, and you very kindly invited me here today."

Mrs. Cole unfroze, finally accepting that this was not, in fact, a hallucination, and she stammered something about "yes, well," and "odd people", and she invited Dumbledore into her office. They sat down on the mismatched chairs, and stayed in silence for a few minutes before Dumbledore coughed and spoke.

"I am here, as I told you in my letter, to talk about Tom Riddle, and arrangements for his future."

"Are you family?" Mrs. Cole asked.

"No," Dumbledore said. "I am a teacher, and I have come to offer Tom a place at my school. I believe he has the very qualities we are looking for."

"You mean he's won a scholarship? How can he have done? He's never been entered for one."

"His name has been down in our records since birth," Dumbledore told her.

"Who registered him? His parents?"

Mrs. Cole was a rather sharp woman, it seemed. Dumbledore realised this, and, being a rather impatient man, used a well-placed confundus charm to cover the summoning of a bottle of gin, two glasses, and a letter detailing precisely nothing about Hogwarts.

"That seems perfectly in order," Mrs. Cole said placidly, noticing the bottle of gin. Using a rather refined tone, she asked, "Might I offer you a glass of gin?"

Dumbledore beamed, and accepted the glass kindly. After pouring a generous amount into each glass, Mrs. Cole downed her glass in one, shuddering.

Dumbledore did not hesitate to press his advantage.

"I was wondering whether you could tell me anything of Tom Riddle's history? I believe he was born here in the orphanage?"

And so Mrs. Cole began to recount the whole sorry tale of Tom's mother's death, and how his full name was Tom Marvolo Riddle. After some encouragement and many promises that nothing she said would change Tom's acceptance to Dumbledore's school, she told the story of how Tom and a boy named Billy Stubbs had argued one day, and the next she'd found Billy's rabbit hung from the rafters. She told a story of how Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop had gone into a cave with Tom and come out different, and never been quite the same again. She told of things going missing with no warning, and of a lot of weird happenings going on near Tom.

Despite being told that Tom would have to return each summer holiday, Mrs. Cole was quite happy to be able to see the back of Tom for the majority of the year.

Dumbledore, or rather, Grindelwald, was overjoyed. To have such a violent amount of accidental magic, this boy must be something. Perhaps he could mould this boy into a Dark Lord, giving him an "opponent" and a chance for the Wizarding World to forget all about his more violent attempt at a coup. 

Having met the boy and learned that he was a Parselmouth, a trait often seen as evil, well, that was even better.

**Author's Note:**

> This is another sleep deprived idea of mine. I hope it works out.


End file.
